Today's wireless communications networks comprise base stations and related nodes that communicate local information between one another. For example, Evolved Packet System EPS, that is, Long Term Evolution/System Architecture LTE/SAE consists of enhanced packet core (EPC) and evolved UTRAN (EUTRAN). EUTRAN and EPC are connected by an S1 interface. EUTRAN consists of evolved NodeBs, eNBs. The eNBs can be interconnected through an X2 interface supporting network layer traffic. The X2 interface logically represents an internode connection, a point to point link between eNBs, but the physical realization need not be a point to point link. The internode interface comprises an interface for connecting nodes and communicating local information known by base stations. The internode interface may be set up between base stations or controller nodes of the base stations within the radio access network of the wireless communications network, such as eNBs, NodeBs, RBSs, RNCs and or the like.
The function primarily provided by the X2 interface is to support handover. X2 also enables exchange of interference related information, load related information, configuration related information, and/or the like. Typically, an eNB only establishes X2 connections to neighboring eNBs, i.e. if a serving cell of an eNB has a neighbor cell that is served by another eNB then the two eNBs are so called neighboring eNBs. The functions provided by X2 are seen as neighbor related functions, that is, supporting local functionalities between the two eNBs. Interference related information may comprise Inter-Cell Interference Coordination ICIC and/or the like.
By a function called automatic neighbor relation (ANR) a user equipment, UE, within a cell of an eNB detects a neighbor cell of a different eNB and report the neighbor cell to serving eNB. The serving eNB then creates a neighbor relation and sets up an X2 interface to the eNB serving the neighbor cell. In this way an eNB can be commissioned without any X2 relations preconfigured, and as UEs report neighbor cells the X2 relations are built up. To set up an X2 interface data such as IP-addresses, netmask, gateway etc. including the required coordinates or location is used, and/or the like. The logical X2-interface allows a direct communication between the eNBs.
Today, information of radio base stations, retrieved over an Operation Support System (OSS) Interface, may be centrally managed using an Operation Support System (OSS) in a wireless communications network. The OSS does not have connection to more than one vendor's Radio Access Network (RAN) nodes and different vendors OSSes may lack possibility to signal some information that is available over internode interfaces within a RAN.